Just found out about this crazy development today and spent a few hours catching up, reading this thread, YouTube, and Chinese sites. I'm as concerned about the trio of ML/FZD/XX as others who participated (coaches and players). ML/FZD/XX are the most famous, which makes them bigger targets but the fame may also somewhat save them. On the other hand, the other players and coaches are smaller targets, but they also don't have the fame and fan base to protect them.
When I say "concerned" I don't mean they might get physically harmed, but rather their career quietly destroyed. And I don't think all of them will get the same treatment. Probably the few that are the most stubborn, or who are already not favored, might face the most severe outcome. Again, total speculation.
Now, what made me feel compelled to sign up for an account to post, is the somewhat heated exchange about China's censorship and authoritarian governing style. This entire subject is about, I hope most here agree, a negative aspect of the Chinese government. It's an area that has much room for improvement. As such, there is no need to accuse someone of spreading negativity or presenting one-sided story. This is a very specific topic, and no one is saying China is all about this. If during a discussion of guns someone says "The US has more gun-related crimes and accidents than most countries", and an American jumps up and argues "Why are you only talking about the bad things about America?", wouldn't that feel silly to you?
Lastly, I enjoyed reading the personal stories from you guys. So here is my story. It is far from a typical experience, mind you. Many details are omitted, but if you need a time frame, just know when I was in middle school in China, many students had cell phones. You don't have to believe my story, but I hope you at least get entertained reading it.
I was born and raised in Guangzhou, same as Fan Zhendong. Sometime during my childhood (around 3rd grade), my parents got involved in activism. You know the typical fate of dissidents. We were the lucky ones. When I was 14, one night my dad got tipped off "they" were on the way to detain him. He had an upcoming visit to the US, so he already had his passport and exchange scholar visa (J-1 or something). The trip was planned for a few months later, but he managed to change the flight ticket to the earliest next flight, slipped away from home without packing (my mom and I happened to be out of town; he said plainclothes cops were already downstairs but didn't see him due to poor lighting), and flew out the next morning. If this happened today I don't think he can make it through the airport, but back then the computer networks were not as advanced. My mom and I didn't know where he was until he called from LA.
So my dad was safe in US. But for the next 2 years, my mom and I were pretty much held hostage. We had applied for passports, but of course never got them. "Security" folks often visited us "just to talk." They were simply doing it to harass us to get my dad to return. One night, as I listened in on the "talk" (just my mom telling them to leave) from my room, I was suddenly filled with rage and almost grabbed a knife and ran out to stab them. That could have ended badly. Anyway, we lived like that for 2 years. Some other intense details omitted.
Then one day, out of the blue, 2 dudes from some city- or provincial-government branch came by, gave us our passports, and said they would ensure our successful exit. The passports were issued almost 2 years prior but never released to us until then. This was a complete surprise and we had no prior preparation -- but now we wanted to pull it off as quickly as possible. We went to the consulate to get visa (H-4, my dad had converted to H-1), took care of other paperwork, booked round-trip tickets, told my school I would be back in 3 months, packed only 2 carry-on and 2 checked suitcases -- basically gave all signs of a short-term visit. From the day we got our passport to when we landed in LA, it was less than a month. I didn't get to say goodbye to my best friend in person.
To this date, we don't understand who pulled the strings or why someone helped us. There seemed to be in-fighting within the system, because after we left, "they" immediately started harassing relatives and my mom's coworkers, asking them to convince us to return.
And we haven't been back to China since then. I'm not involved with my parents' activity, but I am their only son and could easily be detained for leverage. Maybe that won't happen if I do go back, but I don't want to find out.
Like I said, not typical and read it as fiction if you prefer. I love China -- it's my homeland. But I very much want to see the Communist Party gone. I want this vicious side of the government gone so I can go back to visit my family and my friends. I hardly recognize any part of Guangzhou now, but I want to go back to tour my old apartments and schools.
Oh by the way great forum! I recently bought a cheap on-sale table and donated it to work so I can play with my colleagues